WASHINGTON — Pregnant women have new protections against on-the-job discrimination.

The government has updated 30-year-old guidelines, citing “the persistence of overt pregnancy discrimination, as well as the emergence of more subtle discriminatory practices.”

The new guidelines from the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission make clear that any form of workplace discrimination or harassment against pregnant workers by employers is a form of sex discrimination and illegal.

After many months of grueling campaigning, the waiting stage of the presidential sweepstakes is near as both parties worked furiously to boost turnout and get supporters to the polls.

But learning whether President Barack Obama or challenger Mitt Romney would cross that magic 270 electoral-vote finish line wasn't an easy wait for either side. Both portray the race as tantalizingly close.

09/30/11 - 7:44am

WASHINGTON — Even if Congress heeds President Barack Obama’s demands to “pass this bill right away” and enacts his jobs and tax plan in its entirety, the unemployment rate probably still would hover in nosebleed territory for at least three more years.

Why? Because the 1.9 million new jobs the White House says the bill would produce in 2012 falls short of what’s needed to put the economy back on track to return to pre-recession jobless levels of under 6 percent, from today’s rate of 9.1 percent.